Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
All
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
ASconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
backward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The impulses of youth had been checked and restrained.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
changes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
checked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The impulses of youth had been checked and restrained.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
drawing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
Ella
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
fell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It fell upon her like a shadow.
forwardnounUS /forward/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
frown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The impulses of youth had been checked and restrained.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
hearts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
hopefulness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
hopeless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
impulses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The impulses of youth had been checked and restrained.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
incentive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
inevitable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
inspiration
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
Instead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
LOVER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
Mara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
nature
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
negation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
pay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
penalty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
progress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
prompting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
RECOGNIZED
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
restrained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The impulses of youth had been checked and restrained.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading It fell upon her like a shadow.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
springing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
tended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
turning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of looking forward, like Ella, she was turning ever backward, and drawing her inspiration from the past, and a dead, hopeless past, at that.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All its incentive tended toward negation, prompting her to frown on changes, progress, and the hopefulness springing up in many hearts.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It fell upon her like a shadow.
variance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading RECOGNIZED AS LOVER It was inevitable that Mara should pay the penalty of being at variance with nature and her own heart.
youth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The impulses of youth had been checked and restrained.
